the visit, part two.

sunday at gramma and grampa's with the cousins.

the stars aligned and we had a couple of rare appearances for the coppersmith family. ellie and i were able to see our aunt from pennsylvania, along with both of her kids - one in town from idaho and the other just getting back from china. the odds that the georgians and the pennsylvanians would somehow end up together for a sunday visit (without advance planning) had to be astronomical.

cousin cory and i were babies together, born just two weeks apart. 

though we seldom live close to one another and we are always in varying states of being, it seems we always have this deeper connection that is hard to explain in words.

can i just say that i have always enjoyed growing up with that sort of bond to someone?

does that make sense?

it is one of my huge desires to have cousins for ellie (and future babies that are not in the works at this moment). cousins are so special! 

there is one on the way, but i want more.

(plus i think that it is really unfair that husband and i made them all aunts and uncles and they are making us wait for them to return the favor. rude.)

(just kidding, i'm not pressuring anyone.)

(just kidding, i kind of am.)

the visit, part one.

more outdoors:

meeting horses at the riding center where my sister volunteers, 

and talking a walk to the park (but really the gas station, for drinks).

 

yeah, i apologize for the collage frenzy.
at least i admit it when i'm obsessed.
uh, but i won't stop.

home.

our trip was lovely. it was perfect timing - i felt like i needed to be with some of my people and i really did get to spend time with so many people i love.

we were able to celebrate life with lindsey, but i've told you all about that. 

(p.s. - check her blog. she's making some great progress in minnesota, so keep the positive energy and prayers comin'!)

ellie and i were also able to visit my sweet grandma in the hospital. she's been sick for a little while now and it seems that she is finally, slowly, getting better and better. 

we even saw some friends and old co-workers but, of course, we didn't have as much time to spend as we would have liked. we still packed every minute full of fun . . . which is probably why i came down with something during the flight home. pretty sure my body had enough of that nonsense and quit on me. 

as much as we loved visiting, we were so, so glad to be home. ellie hugged and kissed judge over and over. she inspected all her toys and slept peacefully in her bed. i was ready to get back into real life and our routines. as much as i hate to admit it, i really thrive when i have a daily grind. 

above all, we really missed daddy. it's hard to explain, but we're a package deal. we work as a team. it's like, missing half of my brain. we can function separately but we are so much better together.

all right, enough with the squishy hearts crap. 

we'll start round one of pictures, in which we visit the snow-capped mountains where i used to work, drink huckleberry soda, eat smore bars and explore like crazy.

the sibs.

same suburban. 

same kids. 

seven years later. 

oh, those were the days when i wasn't the shortest. 

can you believe these guys?

no, neither can i.

plunge taken.

sorry husband.

celebration of life.

(that's me, red sweater, with some seriously old friends)

celebrate good lives - come on! 

okay, now that it's out of my system . . .

i had the honor of attending a celebration of life for lindsey on monday night. 

it was amazing - tributes, dancing, photobooth pictures, bagpipes!

best of all, there were hugs with great friends. i was able to see a lot of people i hadn't seen in years and new babies that i hadn't met yet. of course, there were lots of smiles and laughter.

a lot of people (like, 700+ !!) who care about one person were able to come together to show their love and support all at the same place and the same time. i don't care who you are and how lame you think i am, i call that magical (maybe even miraculous).
and i was able to be a part of that.
 

living through laughter

photobooth was donated by party booths - it was so fun!

stats:

we visited the doctor last week and we got some stats:

she's in 25th percentile for weight - she still isn't over 20 pounds. almost there!

she's absolute average height (28 inches, i think?) and her head is still big, 75th percentile. 

she has six "official" teeth (i think two more are on the way). 

last night someone thought she was nine months old. i guess that's why everyone is so shocked when they see her running around (seriously, she runs).

(yes, we are in utah safe and sound and more on last night later.)

for now, enjoy this picture of ellie and her cousin at the party: